Lisle mayor, trustees at odds over police chief hiring process
A final decision on hiring a new police chief in Lisle is on hold while the mayor and some village board members disagree over the review process.
Mayor Chris Pecak has selected the person he would like to take the reins of the department. Pecak tried to convene a closed-door interview session between his appointee and the village board on Feb. 27, but only one trustee attended.
And during a board meeting this week, other trustees refused to go behind closed doors, with some saying they wanted the prospective chief to complete an assessment process.
“He may be a wonderful candidate … It has nothing to do with him,” Trustee Meg Sima said. “It has to do with how it came about and how this occurred.”
The controversy comes months after Kevin Licko stepped down from his position as police chief.
In August, officials named James Kruger, who previously served as police chief in Oak Brook and other suburbs, as Lisle’s interim chief. Sima said he was hired “specifically to advise and assist us in the chief hiring process.”
“At the end of that multistep process, the entire board and the interim chief gets to interview the top couple of candidates selected. However, while the board's part of that process, the mayor has the ultimate authority to appoint the chief,” Sima said. “That interview meeting was in December, and after that … we heard crickets chirping.”
Pecak said he appointed one of those candidates, but that person decided to withdraw, citing family reasons.
“In the meantime, temporary Chief Kruger's engagement ended,” Pecak said. “I solicited other consultants, former chiefs … that are well known in searching for replacement chiefs. While that search was going on, none of this, it was rapidly developing, but none of it was solidified enough to actually call a meeting over.”
Pecak said an applicant who previously removed their name from consideration was interested in the position and met with him and the village manager.
“We had a great interview. We took a look at everything … we ran references. I made phone calls,” the mayor said.
Trustee Mary Jo Mullen said four members of the board notified the village manager that they would not be available for a special meeting last week for a “variety of reasons.” She said she has spoken with the “candidate that’s currently being evaluated.”
“We had a really good conversation. I respect him greatly. Before moving forward with an appointment, I ask he complete the assessment process that other candidates went through,” Mullen said.
Trustees asked that the appointee complete an individual assessment process to be conducted by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police before being interviewed by the village board, Village Manager Eric Ertmoed explained via email.
“Presently, I am working with the ILACP’s Executive Director to schedule the assessment for as soon as possible,” Ertmoed wrote Wednesday.
Pecak suggested it could be replicated by staff or another consultant. Ertmoed told the board Monday that the assessment center was a full-day process and not something that staff could replicate. According to the chiefs association website, the evaluation includes written and group exercises.
Lisle village code requires the appointment of a police chief be made by the mayor subject to the advice and consent of a majority of the trustees, Ertmoed wrote. The village board will need to confirm/approve the appointment in an open meeting.